COLORADO SPRINGS, C.O.- USA Field Hockey and the Field Hockey Federation (FHF) have partnered to create a contracted position of FHF Technical Director. Both organizations are delighted to announce and welcome Ben Maruquin (Moorpark, CA) into this position.

The Field Hockey Federation is a Southern California organization that has sponsored and organized field hockey clubs and leagues, public and private school field hockey programs, and adult programs to pursue the sport of field hockey in the USA.

"I would like to thank USA Field Hockey and the FHF for coming together and making this position possible," said Maruquin. "Ultimately, it is about the athlete's. The changes we are implementing today will bring the Junior and Senior Men's National Teams continued success. The men's hockey culture in Southern California (and the USA) is changing, and becoming more professional each day. We are working towards a strong fitness/basic skills set, not only for current National team members, but to the kids that will be following in their footsteps."

Maruquin will assist the development of an effective high performance environment within the FHF that will provide an opportunity to elevate the quality of men’s hockey at the regional level. He will work closely with local clubs and middle school programs to capture players at a young age and provide them with the necessary tools to further their development within the sport.

“The Field Hockey Federation committee is delighted to welcome USA Olympian Ben Maruquin as FHF Technical Director,” said Dave Jackson, President of the FHF. “We feel he is uniquely qualified as he grew up playing for Ventura Roadrunners and knows what is required to take players from a club level to the national and international level. We look forward to working with Ben and USA Field Hockey in growing and expanding our player numbers while simultaneously raising the skill levels of players and coaches alike.”

Maruquin was a USA Men’s National Team member from 1989-1997 and represented the USA at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. Maruquin is currently the USA Men’s Junior National Team Coach and will be an Assistant Coach at the Champions Challenge II Tournament in Lille, France, July 2-10, 2011 as well as the Men’s National Team Manager at the Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, October 19-29.

"This is a significant development towards the continued advancement of the junior and senior national teams,” said Nick Conway, Men’s National Team Head Coach. “Positioning a Technical Director in the Moorpark community provides a fantastic opportunity to elevate primarily the quality but also the quantity of high performance hockey in that area."

For media inquiries, please contact Ashley Meunier, USA Field Hockey Communications Manager, at ameunier@usafieldhockey.com, or at (719) 866-4365. Additional information regarding the USA Field Hockey team and Futures Program can be found online by visiting www.usafieldhockey.com.

About USA Field Hockey

USA Field Hockey is based in Colorado Springs, C.O., and is the national governing body for the sport of field hockey in the United States. For more information, please visit the USA Field Hockey website at www.usafieldhockey.com .